When you grow up only knowing the taste of freshly grown tomatoes due to a summer tradition at your grandparents, it is no wonder the desire to reproduce such quality from scratch took hold in Cheryl McGaffin.
After two decades as an intensive care nurse, the importance of health and nutrition were well understood by Cheryl, Daniel’s Run Farm founder and grower. The desire to produce one of the healthiest and tastiest varieties of tomatoes on the planet was strong, initially for her own family and friends. But after a bumper crop, Cheryl decided to also try selling a few batches at a couple of farmers markets and it quickly grew into a boutique business that today has requests coming in from some of the best-known chefs on the Mornington Peninsula and a following of loyal customers who eagerly await the picking season’s arrival each summer.
Following organic and sustainable principles, there are now more than 200 varieties of heirloom tomatoes grown at Daniel’s Run Farm. They are vine-ripened and sun-drenched and provide that rich, full tomato flavour. From nature to nutrition, the terroir is perfect to grow a range of heirloom tomatoes in an absolute rainbow of colours from yellow and orange to the darkest of reds to purple through to almost black to bright green and everything in between.
Heirloom tomatoes are known as being difficult to grow, taking a lot of patience and experimentation and requiring perfect weather conditions. Cheryl is very patient and seems to never give up, even when Mother Nature makes it tricky. Persistence, experimenting with all areas of the process – including making her own compost – integrating natural pest management with beneficial insects, and trialling different rotational crops are a few of the many ingredients that contribute to a successful crop. Every year Cheryl trials new varietals and has a great fascination and interest in open pollination and breeding new tomatoes.
Vine-ripened tomatoes are packed full of nutrients that are so beneficial to overall health and are incredibly delicious. “If you’ve never had an heirloom tomato, then you’ve never tasted a real tomato,” Cheryl said.
And their uses are endless, from topping a bruschetta to making a batch of sweet passata, adding to almost any salad, roasting in the oven, served with a splash of quality olive oil and some basil, or simply eating alone to savour the rich flavour. The colourful heirloom tomatoes also make a spectacular centrepiece on any table and certainly add colour, zest and variety to a grazing board.
In 2021 all the hard work was rewarded when Daniel’s Run Farm won a gold medal at the Harvey Norman delicious. Produce Awards for its heirloom tomatoes. “This was a great honour to receive this award,” Cheryl said.
Cheryl shares the property with her husband, Ian, and a few furry farm friends, including her much-loved Jack Russell terriers. “When they are not sitting close to me or following me around the property, they protect the chooks from the foxes and keep the birds and rabbits off the crops and tomatoes.”
Horses have always had a prominent place in Cheryl’s life, none more significant than the property’s namesake – a thoroughbred racehorse who was rescued from an abusive and restrictive life and given a second chance at the farm. Cared for and able to run free around the paddocks of the Tyabb property, Daniel lived until he was 28 and will always be fondly remembered.
Daniel’s Run Farm 271 Coolart Rd, Tyabb P: 0428 104 826
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